Building Materials & Equipment

The building materials and equipment industry includes makers of stone, clay, glass and concrete products; lumberyards; electrical suppliers; plumbing and pipe product manufacturers; and makers of fences, elevators and flooring materials. Dealers and manufacturers of road graders, bulldozers and other heavy construction equipment also fall under this heading. (Sawmills, timber companies and manufactures of pipe products that specialize in oil pipelines are not part of this group.)

The industry gives hand-over-foot to Republican candidates, political action committees and outside money groups who support them. During the 2012 election cycle when President Obama, a Democrat, was running for re-election, these interests gave 86 percent of the money they donated to candidates and parties to Republicans. At-the-time Republican candidate Mitt Romney raked in the most, at $1.7 million in contributions. Following Romney was then-House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) at $193,651 and then came Obama at $183,434. [Read more Background]

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